26. To show then that some
things in the Scriptures which are thought to be lies are not what
they are thought, if they be rightly understood, let it not seem to
thee to tell little against them, that it is not from Apostolic but
from Prophetical books that they find as it were precedents of
lying. For all those which they mention by name, in which each
lied, are read in those books in which not only words but many
deeds of a figurative meaning are recorded, because it was also in
a figurative sense that they were done. But in figures that which
is spoken as a seeming lie, being well understood, is found to be a
truth. The Apostles, however, in their Epistles spoke in another
sort, and in another sort are written the Acts of the Apostles, to
wit, because now the New Testament was revealed, which was veiled
in those prophetic figures. In short, in all those Apostolic
Epistles, and in that large book in which their acts are narrated
with canonical truth, we do not find any person lying, such that
from him a precedent can be set forth by these men for license of
lying. For that simulation of Peter and Barnabas with which they
were compelling the Gentiles to Judaize, was deservedly reprehended
and set right, both that it might not do harm at the time, and that
it might not weigh with posterity as a thing to be imitated. For
when the Apostle Paul saw that they walked not uprightly according
to the truth of the Gospel, he said to Peter in the presence of
them all, “If thou, being a Jew, livest as the Gentiles; and not
as do the Jews, how compellest thou the Gentiles to Judaize?”2426
But in
that which himself did, to the intent that by retaining and acting
upon certain observances of the
law after the
Jewish custom he
might show that he was no
enemy to the
Law and to the
Prophets,
far
be it from us to believe that he did so as a
liar. As indeed
concerning this matter his sentence is sufficiently well known,
whereby it was settled that neither
Jews who then believed in
Christ were to be prohibited from the
traditions of their fathers,
nor Gentiles when they became
Christians to be compelled thereunto:
in order that those
sacred rites
2427
which were well known to have been
of
God enjoined, should not be
shunned as sacrileges; nor yet
accounted so necessary, now that the New Testament was
revealed, as
though without them whoso should be
converted unto
God, could not
be
saved. For there were some who thought so and
preached, albeit
after
Christ’s
Gospel received; and to these had feignedly
consented both Peter and
Barnabas, and so were compelling the
Gentiles to Judaize. For it was a compelling, to
preach them to be
so necessary as if, even after the
Gospel received, without them
were no
salvation in
Christ. This the error of certain did suppose,
this Peter’s
fear did
feign, this
Paul’s
liberty did beat down.
What therefore he saith, “I am made all things to all, that I
might
gain all,”
2428
that did he, by suffering with
others, not by
lying. For each becomes as though he were that
person whom he would fain succor, when he succoreth with the same
pity wherewith he would wish himself to be succored, if himself
were set in the same misery. Therefore he becomes as though he were
that person, not for that he
deceives him, but for that he thinks
himself as him. Whence is that of the
Apostle, which I have before
rehearsed, “
Brethren, if a man be
overtaken in a fault, ye which
are
spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of
meekness,
considering thyself lest thou also be tempted.”
2429
For if,
because he said, “To the
Jews became I as a
Jew, and to them
which were under the
law as under the
law,”
2430
he is therefore to be accounted to
have in a
lying manner taken up the sacraments of the old
law, he
ought in the same manner to have taken up, in a
lying way, the
idolatry of the Gentiles, because he hath said that to them which
were without
law he became as without
law; which thing in any
wise
he did not. For he did not any where
sacrifice to
idols or adore
those figments and not rather freely as a martyr of
Christ show
that they were to be
detested and eschewed. From no apostolic acts
or
speeches, therefore, do these men allege
things meet for imitation as examples of
lying. From prophetical
deeds or words, then, the reason why they seem to themselves to
have what they may allege, is only for that they take figures
prenunciative to be
lies, because they are sometimes like unto
lies. But when they are referred to those things for the signifying
of which they were so done or said, they are found to be
significations full of truth, and therefore in no wise to be lies.
A lie, namely, is a false signification with will of deceiving. But
that is no false signification, where, although one thing is
signified by another, yet the thing signified is a true thing, if
it be rightly understood.
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